Above: Local MN Water Stewards educating community members on stormwater at 2025 Vadnais Heights Kids Day.

Are you passionate about water? Curious about how you can make a difference? The Minnesota Water Stewards program may be a great fit for you!

The Minnesota Water Stewards program is administered by the nonprofit Freshwater. Through the program, local leaders are equipped with knowledge and tools to make a difference for water in their community. 

VLAWMO is proud to be a partner of the Minnesota Water Stewards program. In our watershed, Stewards pursue meaningful projects, help bring educational programs to life, and volunteer to help our community protect our lakes, streams, and wetlands.

Key program dates:

Freshwater will be holding info sessions on Thursday, November 20 (12:00 pm and 5:00 pm) and Thursday, December 11 (12:00 pm and 5:00 pm).

The deadline to apply is December 15th.

General program calendar:

• December 15: Deadline to apply.
• January-April: Guided online certification course runs.
• May: Online course is complete! Stewards choose an action step and make a plan to achieve it.
• October: Stewards gather at the annual Conference of Stewards event.

You can learn more about the program, sign up for an information session, and apply on Freshwater’s website.

Do you have questions about what involvement looks like at the local level? Contact Angela Hugunin, VLAWMO's Communication & Outreach Coordinator at angela.hugunin@vlawmo.org.